The Worst Mistake
by snape'smistress-in-law
Summary: Regulus made a horrid mistake when he was fifteen that ruined three lives forever. Spoiler alert: everyone dies.
1. Chapter 1

**The Worst Mistake**

Chapter 1

_It was hard to tell when she's been crying sometimes. Her face never got splotchy and it was always shiny from the lotion she wore that smelled like soda pop. She never went out in public until she was all cried out and she could smile under almost any circumstance. She cried a lot though, because she was emotionally sensitive and couldn't stand it when people hurt her. I used to be like that. I used to believe that a mother should care for her children and a father should protect them. I used to believe in love._

_I almost fell in love once. With her, of course. But she fell in love with someone else. And that someone laughed in her face when she told him. I never hated that boy more in my life. For a week she walked around in a daze, avoiding him, trying and failing to smile. For a week I tried and failed to glare my brother to death. Then I made the worst mistake of my life…_

"Sev, I'm dying!" Sibbie Franks announced sitting down next to the greasy haired boy. She was a Ravenclaw, but she nearly always ate with Severus and Regulus at the Slytherin table.

"Why's that?" Severus asked.

"I forgot my Potions homework. Can I _please_ copy yours?" Sibbie asked, clasping her hands together and looking pleadingly at Severus.

Severus sighed. "I thought Ravenclaws were supposed to be smart."

"I am smart! I'm just not a Potions' genius. And besides I forgot."

"You _always_ forget."

"I'm a procrastinator."

"I'm breaking your habits."

"Oh, that's mean. I don't break your things!"

"Fine, take the homework. But don't cry to me if you don't get finished in time."

Sibbie grinned and tried to hug Severus, but he shrugged her off. Regulus sat down next to the two and sighed. "I hate my life," he stated. "Pass the mashed potatoes will you?"

"What's the matter?" Sibbie asked as she passed the potatoes.

"Sirius,' Regulus explained as he dished food onto his plate. "Who else?"

"What'd he do now?" Sibbie asked.

"You mean besides being a blood traitor and tearing my family apart? He ate my homework."

Severus smiled and Sibbie giggled. "He _ate_ your homework?" she asked.

"_Yes_," Regulus said. "He turned it into pudding and physically consumed it. It's not funny," he added because Sibbie was still giggling. "Now I have to go and explain to Professor McGonagall that my brother ate my homework."

Sibbie laughed, throwing back her head. She was not particularly attractive-her dark brown hair was wavy and frizzy and her face was pretty but plain. She wasn't too fat but she was far from underweight. Her sapphire eyes were the one beautiful aspect of her-and they were hidden behind glasses. "That is pretty hilarious," she said.

"_I _don't think so," Regulus protested.

"Well, maybe McGonagall will believe you."

"Like she'd care even if she did believe him," Severus said.

Regulus nodded. "That woman has no mercy."

"She's not that bad, she's just a little strict."

"A little strict?" Regulus asked incredulously. "She's a devil woman!"

"You'll have to do it over," Severus said.

"I _hate_ Sirius Black!"

"Oh, how bad could it be? It's one homework assignment."

"It was two rolls of parchment long and it was _hard_! I'm going to have to do it all over again. Besides, it's the principle of the thing. My brother has no business eating my homework," Regulus said .Sibbie started giggling again and even Severus laughed. "What?"

"The wording," Sibbie said.

"I think my wording is just fine," Regulus said haughtily.

"Well, I think it's time to go to Potions," Severus said.

'Oh no!" Sibbie moaned. "I'm not finished! Tell Slughorn I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Tell him I'm at the nurse or something."

Severus nodded as he and Regulus got up to go to their respective classes.

**A/n: Review please, and I'll love you forever.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Worst Mistake**

Ch. 2

It was Monday morning and Sibbie was neither a Monday person nor a morning person. She walked to the Great Hall yawning and stretching and wishing she were in bed. On the way she saw a familiar looking messy-haired boy. Sibbie smiled when she recognized him-she had never spoken to James Potter, but everyone knew who he and his fellow Marauders were.

James, who was short for a sixteen-year-old, was struggling with several boxes. "Excuse me," Sibbie said, walking over to him. "Do you need any help?"

James turned around and noticed the girl standing next to him. "Yeah that'd be great!" he said. "If you could just carry this down to the Great Hall for me?"

"Sure," Sibbie said accepting one of the smaller boxes. "My name's Sibbie."

"Sibbie? That's an interesting name."

"Well, my parents are interesting people."

James grinned. "The name's James."

Sibbie mirrored James' grin and said, "That's gotta be fun to say."

"It is. I try to say it often. That's the trouble with being so amazingly awesome-everyone knows my name!"

Sibbie laughed. "I'm sure it's a nightmare."

"You have no idea what the trials of popularity are!"

"No, and I don't intend to find out."

"What a pity," James said, taking the box from Sibbie as they entered the Great Hall. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome so much."

James laughed and walked over to the Gryffindor table. "Who's the girl?" Sirius asked, nodding to Sibbie, who was walking towards the Slytherin table.

"Sibbie,' James said, cocking his head. "She's a Ravenclaw unless she was wearing someone else's robes."

"Sibbie Franks?" Remus asked.

"Well, she didn't give me a last name, but how many Sibbies can there be?"

Remus nodded. "She's a Ravenclaw. She's friends with Regulus and Snape."

Peter stared. "Do you know _everyone_ in this school, Moony?"

Sirius laughed. "Friends with Reggie and Snivellus? She's gotta be a dirtbag!"

"Well, she seemed nice to me," James said. "I didn't ask her to help with these boxes, she just came over and asked if I needed assistance. Besides, she seemed to appreciate my unique style."

Sirius laughed. "Unique is exactly the right word for it, Prongs."

"What's in those boxes anyway?" Remus asked.

James grinned wickedly. "You'll see tomorrow."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "I had nothing to do with this," he said, holding his hands up.

"But you were the inspiration for it, Moony!" Sirius said, happy to have the conversation turn away from his less than reputable family.

"I had nothing to do with this?" Peter asked hopefully.

"No, little Wormtail is completely blame free," James said, ruffling his friend's hair.

"I'm no that little," Peter said, but he sounded relieved.

o0o

Sibbie walked over to the Slytherin table and put her hands over Regulus' eyes. "Guess who."

"Hmm, let's think about this," Regulus said as Sibbie took her hands off his eyes and sat next to him. "Who's the only female who talks to me?"

"Your mother?" Sibbie suggested.

Regulus laughed. "Oh yeah, I can just picture my mum doing something like that."

"Well, she's got to do _some_ fun things!"

"You say that now, but you have not met Cassandra Whiteleather Black!"

Sibbie laughed and turned to Snape. "I met the infamous Potter child."

Severus looked up, interested. "What'd you think of him?" he asked.

"I thought he was nice."

Severus sneered. "Oh sure he's nice to you, as long as you're not Slytherin. He didn't know who you were that's all."

"Hey, I'm no Slytherin!"

"You're not?" Regulus asked in mock shock (which is also relatively fun to say). "Then what are you doing here?"

"Eating. Why, do you normally do something different in the Great Hall?"

Regulus rolled his eyes. "I mean at the Slytherin table."

"Once again, I am eating."

"As well as being annoying," Severus said.

"Well, I'm sorry I'm more socially adept than you and don't wound people with my amazing wit, Sev."

Severus raised his eyebrows. "You're amazing wit?"

"I would say so," Sibbie replied.

"Good thing, because no one else will," Regulus said, grinning.

"Shut up!" Sibbie said, hitting Regulus on the arm.

"Make me."

"Oh, no," Severus said. "Please, for the sake of everyone present, please do not fight. You're both pathetic!"

"Right, because you're the master of combat, are you?' Regulus asked. "Because if you are, I'd like to know where Severus Snape is."

"I admit, I'm lacking in physical strength, but I have brains and a wand to make up for it."

"You'd make a good Scar," Sibbie said.

"What?"

"Scar, from _The Lion King_."

"Sibbie, please do not flaunt your mudbloodness around me," Regulus said.

"Oh, right, sorry. I forgot you had an image to protect."

"It's who I _am, _Sibbie. You know I wouldn't be friends with you if you hadn't've tricked me.'

Sibbie smiled "I am rather clever, aren't I?"

"And mean, too," Regulus said. "You'd make a good Slytherin."

"I most certainly would not!"

"Oh c'mon, Sibbie! You're clever, your two best friends are Slytherin, you rarely eat at the Ravenclaw table, why are you so averse to being a Slytherin?" Regulus asked.

"Since when were you my best friends?"

"Umm…since second year?"

"Well, that's a bit presumptuous of you, Reg. What if you're _not_ my best friends?"

"Because you have so many other options?" Severus asked.

"That's right!" Sibbie said putting her hands on her hips and standing on the bench. "I'm the most popular girl in school."

Sirius looked up from his breakfast to see Sibbie standing on the bench while Regulus dissolved into giggles and Severus smiled. "They are _so_ weird," he muttered.

**Review Responses**

**Mizz Moony Luver: **My first reviewer! Cake, ice cream, and lots of confetti for you!I'm glad you like my story, but laughing at poor Reggie's angst? How cruel! I should hope Sibbie is realistic because she's based on a real person who has all of two friends as well. Thank you ever so much for the muffins, I'm a fatty so I do enjoy virtual food.

**asian.marshmellow: **I like to visit my reviewers' profiles and I noticed that this is your first and only favorite story, so you get cake ice cream and lots of confetti too. Also, I'm assuming you're a newbie, and if you are-"Welcome to FanFiction where helpless losers have the most fun!"

Thank you so much for your reviews. I love you both forever!


	3. Chapter 3

**The Worst Mistake**

Ch. 3

Regulus trooped off to Double Potions very unhappily. Potions was his least favorite subject. Slughorn was very nice to him as a Slytherin from an old family, but the subject was excruciating and not one Regulus excelled in. He got O's on all of his homework assignments because Severus helped him (cough did it for him cough), but Severus couldn't help him in class and an hour and a half of said class didn't exactly make his Monday morning. Regulus sighed. He wished his friends were his age, or better yet that he was their age. Then Sirius could be the younger, inferior, less loved, less wanted brother and Regulus could be the older, adored heir to the House of Black. But instead he had to face class totally friendless. Instead he had Paul Jensen.

Jensen was evil incarnate and unfortunately he was also a pet of Slughorn's. Even more unfortunately, the teachers, who seemed intent upon making Regulus' life miserable, always paired him with Jensen for projects. They were all evil. "Good morning, Reggie!" a voice said, shaking Regulus out of his reverie.

Regulus growled. He _hated _that namewith a white hot intensity, burning so bright it could put the sun out of business. When he was little all he heard was "Get my shoes, Reggie. Get my drink, Reggie. Go away, Reggie. Jump in a lake, Reggie. That isn't the right drink, Reggie. You don't want me to tell mum you're not playing nice, do you Reggie?" Part of the reason he hated Jensen so much was for that name. "Morning, Jensen," Regulus said through clenched teeth.

"Now, Reggie, I called you by your first name, why not return the favor?"

"My name is Regulus Antares Black. There is no _'Reggie'_ in that."

"A nickname," Jensen said, smiling cruelly. "Regulus is a hard name."

"You just said it, didn't you?" Regulus said. Jensen opened his mouth to respond, but Regulus said, "I hate you, go die."

Jensen closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes. "I _was _being nice, Reggie, but apparently, you don't like me being nice."

But before Jensen could do anything, Slughorn opened the door to the Potion's classroom and said in his normal, jolly voice, "Come in, come in, I have an excellent lesson prepared for you today."

Regulus sighed and entered the classroom.

o0o

Sibbie trudged slowly up to the History of Magic classroom. 'At least I'll get some sleep,' she thought wearily. 'But I wish we had class with the Slytherins instead of the Gryffindors and we could have, say, Defense with the Gryffindors, Sev's never much fun in that class. If Sev had History of Magic with me, it would be more entertaining, but I don't _know_ any of the Gryffindors, and I'm not good friends with anyone from my own house. Sev and Reg are the only people I can _talk_ to.'

Sighing, Sibbie sat down with one seat between her and the window. In a few minutes, a brown-haired, freckled boy smiled at her and sat in that seat. Sibbie smiled back and looked to the back of the room where his friends were sitting.

"They were being annoying," Remus said answering her unasked question.

"Ah," Sibbie said, looking out the window. Remus turned to the front of the room where Binns had started class. In record time, Sibbie's gaze returned to the boy on her left. 'This is pretty nice,' she thought. 'I can stare at this kid all during class and it'll look like I'm staring out the window. He is pretty cute. Not as cute as Regulus, of course, but Regulus has an unfair advantage, being so short and with those clear blue eyes. Hmm, I wonder if I can count all the freckles on this side of his body before class is over. No, I suppose I'd need a more personal view of him…'

Sibbie lay her head down and began her count until she fell asleep.

o0o

Severus hated Herblogy with the Hufflepuffs. As well as alliterations. Sibbie liked them, she thought they were fun to say. That poor child was far too cheery to be human. Severus had made it his personal goal to make her more bitter by telling her horrible, terrifying stories, but that only made her more sympathetic. Key syllables-pathetic.

But I digress. Botany lessons with the overly sweet, sym-pathetic six year students. Well, that didn't come out as planned. Something, probably this class was messing with Snape's ability to think straight. He needed to get out of here, he needed escape. He watched the clock until the magic time when he got up and practically ran to the Entrance Hall to meet Sibbie and walk with her to Potions.

"How was your morning?" Sibbie asked.

"Horrible! Botany lessons with the morons. You?"

"Oh, it wasn't bad. I got to stare at Remus all class." Sibbie laughed as Severus made a face. "He's a cutie, Sev."

"Yeah, so am I."

Sibbie laughed. "Surely you jest! You probably weren't even a cute baby!"

"Yeah that's why my father hates me," Severus said darkly.

"I'm sorry!" Sibbie said. "Forget I said that. Forget I said anything. Erase me from your memory!"

"Despite what you may think, Sibbie, erasing you from memory isn't that easy."

"Only one person agrees with you," Sibbie said sadly (alliteration power!). "The only impression I make is as a weirdo."

"With Exciting Imaginative Radical Drastic Omni-powers?"

Sibbie laughed. "That made no sense whatsoever!"

"Did it have to?"

"You _always _make sense, Sev. I'm touched you didn't to cheer me up!"

"Anything for my lady," Severus said holding the door to the classroom open for her like a chivalrous-Slytherin kid.

**Mizz** **Moony** **Luver**: Your review made me laugh so hard and everyone in the computer Lab stared at me when I randomly stood up and said "Greasy Git Powers, activate!". Normally I'd be to embarrassed to do that, but it was for Sibbie! I'm glad you'd do something like that, it makes life so much more interesting. hugs I love you forever Mizz Luver, but only if you let me in that basement of yours!

**Gabwr**: Oh, you get cake and ice cream too because I've heard from you before. Plus, I've got all of this virtual party food I have to get rid of. Anyway, thanks much for the review.

**Juko**: Put that hat back on young lady/man, it's cold out! Just kidding, I'm highly flattered. Poor, Reggie's homework was, in all technicality, eating by a dog and I'm going to hate said dog by the time this story is over, which is good, because I need to get over my Sirius obsession.

Love, peace, and hair grease. I like it!


	4. Chapter 4

**The Worst Mistake**

Ch. 4

Sibbie Franks walked into the Great Hall Tuesday morning and gasped. There were giant ferns and other living organisms from the Plantae Kingdom that were alive in the Jurrassic Period all over and the whole Great Hall was extremely foggy and humid. "How are we supposed to eat in all this?" she asked, sitting down next to Regulus and Snape.

Regulus shrugged. "I'd be willing to bet my life my brother was part of this."

Sibbie then remembered the boxes she helped James bring down the other day, but dismissed it thinking that there was no way that they could have brought pre-historical times in a few boxes. She was once again showing her mudbloodness by that. "Well, whoever it was, this is definitely annoying."

"Annoying is the understatement of the century. There is no breakfast on these tables."

Sibbie sighed. "C'mon let's go through our daily ritual."

"Without breakfast?" Regulus demanded. "I can't function without breakfast!" he exclaimed, catching sight of his older brother. "I hate you Sirius-Sadalmelik!"

Sirius laughed at him while Severus attempted to pull him away from the breakfast-less table. "C'mon, Regulus, let's go," he said.

o0o

Severus didn't fall in love. Ever. How could he when he knew no one would ever return his feelings? He was no fool and he was not going to play that game. However, he did always have a soft spot for Sibbie. Well, not always, since third year when he was properly introduced to her.

The thing Severus most liked about Sibbie was her attitude toward the world. She could care less what people thought about her and neither could Severus. Sibbie had a lot of fun not caring about the rest of the world actually; she had the interesting habit of making a fool of herself in front of a lot of people, to the amusement of her friends, but a lot of the time it went unnoticed because people didn't care about Sibbie. Most of the time Severus wished he was as unnoticed as her, but of course something about him had attracted the much unwanted attention of Black and Potter.

Sibbie cared about what five people in the world cared about her. Of course she cared about her friends, which Severus was glad about, but he was less happy that she cared about the opinions of her parents and older sister. They weren't particularly cruel or abusive in any sense of the world, but they tended to insult and hurt her and she was emotionally sensitive. Severus knew all too well how much the words from a family member hurt-when you enter the word, you are given the impression that your family should love you above all other people, and when they fail to live up to those expectations you find yourself crushed like a piece of plastic left in the middle of the road.

So no, Severus did not love Sibbie as more than a friend. He merely cared for her more than anyone else in the world.

o0o

Regulus didn't know how long he had been in love with Sibbie, but it had been at least a year. He had been in denial about his feelings, but a year ago he admitted it to himself-he loved Sibbie Marta Franks. Nothing in the world, however, could make him admit those feelings to anyone else.

They were strong feelings too; he would randomly find himself thinking about her in class. Mostly he would think about her eyes-they were truly beautiful eyes, and Regulus could absolutely fall asleep in them if he let himself, but there was no way he would ever let himself. Ever.

There was no way that Sibbie could ever learn to return his feelings. For one thing he was younger and shorter than her, and that was not the typical role of the male ina relationship. For another, Regulus was not particularly attractive, at least not in comparison to his older brother. Regulus hated his older brother with all his heart and soul and everything else one could hate a person with. It simply wasn't _fair_. If Regulus were as good looking as Sirius was, he might have a chance with Sibbie. Plus, Sirius was extremely clever and funny. Without looks, those traitscould win over a girl, but he had looks too. He had both, and Regulus had neither. He hated Sirius Sadalmelik Black, who didn't even deserve to be called a Black.

It had hurt worse than anything when Sirius left Black Manorand Regulus didn't even know why. Regulus had done nothing but hate the brother who had done nothing but torture him all his life, so why should he care that his brother, his enemy, was leaving. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to be left with his mother all alone. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to be the Hier to the House of Black.

Or perhaps it was because he loved his brother.

**Review Responses:**

**Mizz Moony Luver:** When I was laughing at your review, my nerdy brother said, "It's not that funny!" but what does he know? Anyway, this chapter explains how Sev and Reg are handling the love triangle (or should I say quadralateral with you involved?) while Sibbie is unnaware that anyone could fall in love with her. Oh and by the way, wouldn't you rather be counting the freckles on Remus' body than getting involved in this love rhombus?

**Gabwr:** Well if it keeps you reading, how about some donuts and an egg custard?

**phylitr: **Since you had questions, I figured I'd send my answers to you before the next update.

**Juko:** Ah, you obviously didn't grow up to Sesame Street. Elmo sings the grooviest A word besides alliteration. Anyway Sev does leave an impression on you doesn't he? Poor Regulus is turning Slytherin before my very eyes. But Sev's in denial about Sibbieand Regulus has Sibbie down andis in denial about his brother (however wrong that may seem, I meant it differently).Of course I updated fast. What better do I have to do in my studies? Thanks for the confetti, they match my braces. Your reviews are totally groovy, because they flatter me.

P.S. Yeah, we need a support group.

P.P.S. My nerdy brother and I have started saying that all the time now. We even have some nice hand motions to go with it.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Worst Mistake**

Ch. 5

When things got bad with her family, Sibbie liked to hide in the bathroom because no one could force her out. When things got really bad with her family she liked to take a shower. In the shower her tears mixed with the rest of the water and went down the drain, into the ground. In the shower she could was away all her pain and sorrow, all her disappointing-ness and coming shorts, all her worries and fears.

_When she was in third year, she was suicidal. She was so happy to find that in the world of magic, you could find virtually painless poisons. The trouble was that she wasn't so good in potions. When she was in the shower one night, she was thinking about the people in her potions class who were good-Severus Snape. There was this one muggle born girl who Slughorn was always saying was good, but she was a Gryffindor, so Sibbie didn't have class with her._

_A half hour later she turned off the tap, stepped out of the shower, into her clothes, walked down the dormitory stairs, and out of the Ravenclaw Common Room. Walking down the third floor stairs with no particular destination in mind, she literally ran into the potions genius himself, Severus Snape. Blushing, she stepped aside so that he could continue up, but as he walked away she put her hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Wait."_

_Severus scowled. "What?"_

"_Um, I was wondering if you could help me with my Potions work."_

"_Why should I?"_

_Sibbie thought about that for a while. She could pay him, but that didn't seem right. What could the world's most on-his-own Slytherin possibly want from her? She finally came up with something having no confidence in it whatsoever. "Well, I noticed you don't have anyone to sit with at meals, and if you helped me then, you could have company and I could have help."_

_Severus considered the girl in front of him. "I'll think about it," he said before walking away._

_Sibbie smiled, knowing that with Snape that was the best you could get._

o0o

Before long, an arrangement that started out as Sibbie's attempt to learn how to properly kill herself developed into a friendship. It was an odd and rather uncomfortable friendship, but both parties were very happy to have someone to lean on because, though neither, especially Severus, would admit it, they had both been rather lonely before. But their friendship didn't really stick until Sibbie captured, almost literally, the friendship of a young Slytherin boy…

_Sibbie was walking out of the Great Hall one evening, she overheard someone complaining to his friend. "You know, James, I really hate Evans. I have absolutely no clue what you see in her. She's a horrible girl and she doesn't deserve the name Lily!" _

"_Isn't your favorite flower a lily, Si?"_

"_Yeah, lily of the valley. It's my birth flower or something like that. That's why she doesn't deserve it."_

"_Mhmm," James said, as they walked away._

_Sibbie shrugged and carried on with her life. Two days later though that information came in handy when she met the little brother of one of the speakers, but it was Severus who met him first in the Slytherin Common Room._

_Severus was up at the ungodly hour of three in the morning and he didn't expect to fall back asleep, so he went down to the Common Room. When he got down there he was surprised to find that someone else was up; a small brown-haired boy was sitting curled up under a blanket by the fire. "You're Sirius' baby brother aren't you?"_

_Regulus turned to glare at him. "No," he said coldly. "I am Regulus Black, and I am not a baby."_

_Severus shrugged. "What are you doing up?"_

"_Couldn't sleep."_

"_Well I figured as much seeing as you're not sleeping, but never mind. An adequate answer is not required of you."_

_Regulus stared at him. "Okay, great. You can leave me alone now."_

_Severus shrugged and walked back up to his dormitory._

_o0o_

_Two days later, Sibbie was acquainted with the boy and the fact that he was a complete klutz. When she was working in the library Regulus walked by and accidentally spilled a container of ink all over her work. Regulus swore and Sibbie sighed. "Sorry," Regulus said._

_Sibbie sighed again and said. "'S okay," she said. "It was only the homework I just spent five hours on."_

_Regulus straightened up. "I said I was sorry."_

"_Yeah, well sometimes sorry isn't good enough."_

"_What more can you want?"_

_Sibbie shrugged. "A friend."_

_Regulus laughed. "You're a mudblood. I'm not going to be friends with you."_

"_What if I win a competition?"_

"_What kind of competition?" Regulus asked suspiciously._

_Sibbie smiled. "Should you even be considering it?"_

"_I never back down on a competition I know I can win," Regulus said._

_Sibbie laughed. "Of course," she said. "Well, if you know your brother better than me, I'll forgive you. If I know him better than you, you have to sit with Sev and I every meal time."_

_Regulus looked at her. "How would _you_ know Sirius?"_

_Sibbie smiled. "I just would."_

"_Fine," Regulus said, shaking Sibbie's hand to seal their deal._

"_Alright, what's his favorite flower."_

"_His favorite _flower_?"_

"_Yes. That'll prove who knows him better."_

"_No it wouldn't!"_

"_Hey, I make the rules here, buddy."_

"_That's not fair! You _knew _you would win! And don't call me buddy."_

_Sibbie smirked. "What can I say? I never back down on a competition I know I can win. So can I call you Reg?"_

"_Reg is fine."_

"_His favorite flower, Reg?"_

"_Um, I don't know, a lupine?"_

"_Wrong! A lily. Of the valley. You can ask him."_

"_I'll take your word for it."_

And so Regulus was sucked into the mealtime ritual forever and eternity and sealed the pact of friendship that completed their trio. And forever and eternity they became the closest of friends for all they had was each other. Nothing could break this bond of friendship so carefully arranged. Ever.

**A/n: Wow that was weird and sappy, but that's okay, it was a filler chapter. Next chapter will be wonderful. Well, hopefully anyway.**

**Review Response:**

**Mizz Moony Luver: **Mmm,yeah Reggie's a hottie, no doubt about it. Poor kid doesn't know what he's got. You know I don't like Sirius' characteristics, but you can't help loving him-at least I can't. Oh and if I randomly break in to your basement, don't worry I'll leave. Eventually.

**Gabwr: **Ah, don't you just want to hug Sev and tell him he's not a piece of plastic left in the middle of the road.

**asian.marshmellow: **An old newbie, eh? Well that's pretty cool. If you ever have any questions I'm here for the asking, but is pretty user friendly. I'm glad you liked my welcome and believe it or not, I'm the world's biggest procrastinator too. But I work hard to get my stories up and I hope you write some stories too smiles hopefully

Hmm, I'm addicted to my story too, it's like my life right now however pathetic that sounds, but you gotta remember I'm just a loser with a word processor and some imagination. I'm glad you think I'm funny, I like to hear that. And I like to call it a love rhombus that should be a triangle because I'm kicking Mizz Luver out (sorry!) and eventually Si will replace Sev and it really doesn't work out, but you'll see. Eventually.

**Okay my wet head of a brother promised to review, but what can you expect from a nerd like him? At least I have you three to cheer me up. At least _somebody_ loves me! (fakes crying)**

**Til next time,**

**Rachel E.B.**


	6. Chapter 6

**The Worst Mistake**

**A/n: Okay, here's the story: I have exams next week, so no updates then. Also, during the summer I have camp, Bethany Beach, service hours, Confirmation, and AP Psychology, so the most I can promise you is one update a month. (Winces) Sorry! So just look me up at the end of every month, I'll be there. Promise.**

Sibbie was walking down to the dungeons to meet Sev and Reg Thursday evening. It was December first, only twenty-four days until Christmas and Sibbie was excited because she liked Christmas, but on the down side she had to go back to her home for the holidays. She knew that was because her family loved her and since she went to boarding school they missed her, but the tension Sibbie seemed to bring to her household would just dampen everyone's holiday. Besides, Reg and Sev were counting on her to be at Hogwarts for Christmas; she had been here last Christmas and they had had a lot of fun.

Sibbie took two steps into the dungeon when she heard her name. She stopped, having the horrible habit of eavesdropping, and listened to Sirius Black say, "Be realistic, Reggie. No one likes you and no one ever will."

"Sibbie does," Regulus said in an almost whisper.

Sirius let out his bark-like laugh. "Let me rephrase-no one worth it likes you."

"Sibbie is worth it. She's a lot better than you, _she_ doesn't abandon her family!"

Sirius' smile left him. "You're not my family. The Marauders are the only family I've got!"

"Your family's your family whether you choose to recognize them or not."

"Well, I don't choose to recognize them."

Regulus narrowed his eyes angrily. "I hate you."

"What a coincidence, I hate you too. We match. And shouldn't you hate that muggle-born friend of yours? Because then we'd match even better."

Regulus just stood there for a few seconds. Then he punched his brother. Sirius, taken by surprise, blinked in shock for a few seconds, then he grabbed Regulus' wrists. "Let me go!" Regulus protested.

"You stupid kid," Sirius said, pushing him back. "I'm a head taller than you and a whole lot stronger," he said, pushing Regulus against the wall. Regulus struggled to get free, and failing, kicked Sirius right below his waist. Sirius immediately let Regulus go, but his back was to the wall and Sirius was in front of him, so he had no place to run. Sirius growled and kicked his baby brother in the shins.

Regulus buckled down and sat on the floor with his back to the wall, his older brother standing over him. "Reg-gie."

"What?" Regulus growled, panting.

Sirius knelt so he was more at Regulus' level. "You should know better than to hit your older brother, it isn't nice."

"You're no brother of mine," Regulus snarled.

"Oh no? I thought 'your family's your family whether you choose to recognize them or not'."

"You are my mother's son and nothing more to me."

"Well then. Since you've waived your right to baby brother-ness, I'm allowed to hit you, right?"

"It still wouldn't be nice," Regulus said a little desperately.

"Ah, but since when have I been nice?" Sirius asked, holding Regulus' chin in his hand to keep his head in place. Regulus whimpered.

"Sirius please! I'll be your baby brother. What do you want from me, I'll do it!"

Sirius shook his head. "You can't choose when you want to be my brother. And anyways, it's normal sibling rivalry. Don't worry though Reggie, this won't hurt too much," he said and punched Regulus a little to the left of his left eye. Then Sirius got up and walked away. "Have a nice life, Reggie."

Regulus leaned against the wall, covering the left side of his face with his hand. Fighting back tears, Regulus muttered, "You too."

Sibbie walked towards Regulus with a look of absolute concern on her face. "Reg, are you okay?" she asked kneeling down next to him.

"I'm fine," Regulus said, but he had to force it out through choked down sobs.

"Let me see," Sibbie said, trying to get Regulus to take his hand off his eye, but Regulus wouldn't let her. "C'mon, Reg," she said gently, but Regulus shook his head, silently hiccupping from the suppressed sobs. He tried to speak but all that came out were tears. "Shh, baby, it's okay," Sibbie said, putting her arms around him, and letting him cry on her shoulder.

Regulus sat sobbing in her arms for a good five minutes before he got himself together. "Sorry," he muttered.

"For what?" Sibbie asked, pulling away from Regulus. "You didn't do anything."

Regulus shrugged and wiped the tears form his eyes. "For breaking down like a baby."

Sibbie laughed. "If someone punched me like that, I would have screamed loud enough to wake the dead! I'm a coward with a capital 'c'. I'm surprised when I put on that Sorting Hat, it didn't say, 'Well let's just cross Gryffindor off the list right now.'"

Regulus laughed a little through his tears. "You're not _that_ cowardly," he said. "and I' m not that brave."

Sibbie shook her head. "What were you fighting about anyway?"

"Sirius and I don't fight. We just play extremely violent games."

Sibbie laughed. "Well then why were you playing extremely violent games?"

Regulus shrugged. "Same reason as always-family."

"I didn't hear anything about family."

Regulus looked up at her and said, "How much _did_ you hear?"

"I came in at Sirius attempting to give you a reality check."

Regulus laughed bitterly. "Well, the basic premise was family and loyalty. I'm not really loyal to our family, I just-I don't want to make things worse. There's been a lot of pressure for me to be perfect since Sirius left and I guess I don't want to let anyone down. I don't want to hurt anyone," he said, nearly crying again. "This is all Sirius' fault. Yours too, really. I'm so confused now, I don't know if I'm supposed to be like my family or Sirius. I want to be like Sirius, but-I don't know-I wish things cold go back to when we were little, before Sirius started falling out."

Sibbie shook her head. "You don't have to be like your family or Sirius, you just have to be Regulus."

"But I don't really know who Regulus is."

Sibbie sighed and stood up. "Well I'll introduce you to him," she said helping Regulus up. Sibbie gave him a hug and he let himself enjoy her warm embrace for a few minutes. Then Sibbie pulled away and said, "C'mon, let's go find Sev."

**Review Responses:**

**Mizz Moony Luver:** I was wondering worriedly why you didn't review, I thought you didn't like the chapter. Don't scare me like that, young lady! Mm, and how exactly am I supposed to wrap Regulus up and deliver him to you when he's in your basement?

And about those rhombuses. I think it's an interesting word myself. Jiggy's dad mixed up rhombus and Remus so there's kind of a connection there. By the way, if you haven't read the Jiggy McCue series by Michael Lawrence, do so now, I think you'd like it.

And don't worry, my mouth is shut, it's my pen you should worry about. Oh, and if and when you update Pureblood, mention that in your review or something, because I'm not aloud to have anything on alert due to nerdy brothers.

**Tris-WannaBe:** You get cake, ice cream, and lots of confetti, because-I know your friend. I like to be told something about me is cool, because I'm usually just a hopeless loser.

**asian.marshmellow: **I'm not poetic, silly. And you should be a writer, I bet you could write better than some people on this site. Anyway, I'm glad you liked the chapter. I probably did a good job expressing Sibbie's emotions because they somewhat mirror my own, though right now I feel bad for disliking my sister who is sitting in the same Computer Lab as me write now coughing on me, giving me her cold-again.

Okay-WILL YOU PEOPLE STOP SAYING YOUR PRAISE IS INADEQUATE? It is praise for goodness sake, and the one thing praise can't do is be inadequate! And is that smiley (well, not really) face crying? Turn that frown upside down! You are making me very happy by reviewing, be happy that I am happy. If that made any sense...

P.S. (sniffs) That P.S. is like stabbing me in the heart with a pair of pinking shears. I can't feed my habit all summer! I want to, but I have too much to do! I'm glad you think I'm not pathetic, I feel like I'm pathetic. I think the main characters in my story and I just have a complex that makes us feel pathetic when we may not be. Maybe it's a strand of Loser's Lurgy or something...

**Gabwr: **I'm glad I have you to cheer me up; today I need some cheering up. I'm sick and tired and busy and everything else that is unhappy. I'd like to just sit here and listen to Hakuna Matata but my radio is broken! Curse it!

Oh, I'm so happy I made you want to hug Sev! One person down, the rest of the world to go. I specialize in making people feel sorry for the people they hate and I'm working on a story that makes _me_ feel sorry for Mrs. Black and should make people with hearts feel sorry for her too.

**Rachel E.B.**


	7. Chapter 7

**The Worst Mistake**

**Disclaimer: Now I'm sure everyone is aware that Harry Potter isn't mine, but I have some other notices: Severus' line about nicknames was first said by someone on The Sugar Quill-only I'm not exactly sure who-and The Cheat is property of Homestarrunner. com**

Ch. 7

"You mean you're leaving us?"

"Yes, but it's just for Christmas."

Regulus shook his head. "But it just won't be the same without you."

Sibbie smiled. "I'm touched. Really. But I have to go home."

"Why do you _have _to go home?" Severus asked.

"Because _my _family loves me and they want me to go home."

"My family loves me too," Regulus said. "But I don't wanna go home and they're not gonna make me."

"Not all your family loves you," Sibbie said, her eyes drifting to the left side of his face.

Regulus squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. He was so short that his feet barely touched the floor, and that annoyed him. Sibbie said his height, or lack thereof, made him look adorable, but Regulus didn't want to be adorable, he wanted to be-attractive. Sure his puppy dog eyes helped him out when he wanted the last cupcake, but he'd rather be sexy than cute.

"Regulus?" Sibbie asked, shattering his thought process. "You okay there buddy?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. And don't call me buddy."

Sibbie shrugged. "Apologies."

o0o

"It smells funny in here," Sibbie said walking down to the Entrance Hall with Regulus. "Like that stuff they give you when you have a cold."

"Pepper-Up Potion?" Regulus offered.

"No, no, menthol."

"What's menthol?"

"The stuff they give you when you have a cold."

"No, that's Pepper-Up Potion."

Sibbie rolled her eyes. "Wanna play outside?"

"Until we freeze to death? Or nearly to death?"

"Yeah!"

Regulus shrugged. "Sounds like fun to me."

"Alright!" Sibbie said, running out into the snow with her arms outstretched like she was trying to fly."

Regulus laughed and followed after her. After ten minutes of them pretty much rolling around in the snow, Severus came out and watched them. "You two are acting like children," he said reproachfully.

"Hey Sev!" Sibbie said from behind him.

"Hey what?" he asked turning around to face her and meeting with a snowball in his face.

"We are kids!" Sibbie said through her giggles.

Severus wiped the snow of her face and shook his head. For a few moments he just stared at Sibbie and both Sibbie and Regulus were hushed. Then he pulled Sibbie down to the ground by her scarf. Sibbie gasped and collided with the cold snow. "You're behaving like a child, Sev," she said, rolling over on her back.

"But I thought I _was_ a child," Severus said, raising his eyebrow.

"No, no, Reg and I are children, you're just-Severus. Which is the _weirdest_ name ever by the way."

"This coming from the girl named Sibbie?"

"We all have weird names," Regulus said. "'Cuz we're weird people. But at least our nicknames are bordering on normal, unlike _some _people I know."

"I think their nicknames are cute," Sibbie said. "If a little weird."

"Horrible people have stupid nicknames," Severus said shrugging.

"I don't have a nickname at all," Sibbie said sadly.

"We can call you-The Sibsinator," Regulus suggested.

"If you do, I might have to kill you."

"I might have to help," Severus added.

Regulus giggled. "Well then what do you _want _to be called?"

"Hmm…The Cheat."

"The Cheat? That is _not_ a normal nickname."

Sibbie sighed. "Alright, just The Sibbie then."

"The Sibbie it is," Regulus said. "Kneel!" Sibbie knelt down. "Oh this is depressing-you're almost as tall as me kneeling down. Anyway, anyone have a sword?"

"Oh yes, I routinely carry swords in my pocket," Severus said, rolling his eyes.

"Well then! If I had a sword, I would use it. I dub thee The Sibbie."

"I feel so special!" Sibbie said, getting up and hugging Regulus. And when she attempted to hug Severus he let her for a few seconds before shrugging her off.

**A/n: My Review Responses were almostas long as the chapter, and I've been warned that responses within the story are frowned upon, so I'll be sending them out to you all...**

**See you next month!**


	8. Chapter 8

**The Worst Mistake**

**A/n: Yeah! It's my birthday. As a lovely birthday gift, reviews would be nice...And I'd like to take this oppurtunity to randomly say: if you haven't read The Nightwatchby Terry Pratchett than you definitely need to. Just don't try tosteal Reg Shoe, he is so mine.**

Ch. 8

"I can't believe you're leaving us!"

"I can't believe you're making such a big deal of this! It's not like I'm going to my death or anything. I'm just going home."

"But you're still leaving us," Regulus whined. "Besides, there's no way you have as much fun at home as you do here."

"No, I don't," Sibbie replied, "but I like my family traditions, and I and missed them all last year. Especially like eating cookies for breakfast Christmas Eve. We don't do that here."

"We could if we wanted to," Regulus insisted. "We could go down to the kitchens and get cookies."

Sibbie shook her head. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm going home for the holidays. I can't just change the plan now."

"Well technically, you can," Severus said.

"Not without upsetting a good deal of people."

Severus shrugged. "I'm just saying you could if you wanted to."

"Well I don't want to," Sibbie said firmly. "Now stop whining and say good-bye."

"Good-bye!" Regulus said hugging his friend like she was indeed going to her death. "I'll miss you!"

"You're acting like her lover," Severus informed him.

Regulus pulled away stuck his tongue out. "Just because I'm not afraid to show affection is no reason to make fun of me!"

"Yes it is," Severus replied.

"Boys," Sibbie interrupted. "Stop being silly. Sometimes I wonder what you'd do without me."

"We'd lead our lives as normal Slytherin children without interruption," Regulus replied.

Severus nodded. "Good-bye Sibbie," he said.

"Bye Sev," she replied and then ran off to catch her train. "Bye Reg!"

"Bye," Regulus said sadly.

o0o

As Sibbie boarded the train she found herself thinking about what Regulus had said. _"We'd lead our lives as normal Slytherin children without interruption." _He was right, that's exactly what they would do. Severus would probably be on his own and happy about, and Regulus…well Regulus would be a normal pureblood boy. No real friends, just admirers, people looking for a piece of his inheritance. It was a good thing she caught them both…

"_Where's Regulus?" Sibbie asked Severus cheerfully._

"_I'm right here," the younger boy replied unhappily, walking up to where they were sitting._

"_No you're not."_

"_Yes, I am," Regulus said slowly as though he were talking to a two-year-old._

"_Are you in France?"_

"_Nooo..." he said, looking at her like she was crazy._

"_Are you in Spain?"_

"_No."_

"_Then you must be someplace else, right?"_

"_Yeeess."_

"_Then how can you be here if you're someplace else?"_

_Regulus stared at her. "What on-" he started. "That didn't make sense!"_

"_Yes it did," Sibbie said. "You just don't want to admit I outsmarted you."_

_Regulus glared at her and tossed his head haughtily. "I have not been outsmarted by a mudblood."_

"_I prefer the term muggle-born," Sibbie said. "And you have too been outsmarted by me. You're just in denial."_

"_I am-"_

"_Stop it!" Severus said, annoyed. "You two are acting like four-year-olds."_

_Regulus glared at him. "No one asked you, Snivellus."_

"_Severus, do you think we are behaving like children?" Sibbie asked._

"_Yes, as a matter of fact I do," he replied._

"_You know I thought you wanted a friend," Regulus said. "This is not how one usually goes about getting friends."_

"_You know I thought you hated me," Sibbie replied. "So why do you want me to make me your friend?"_

"_I don't!"_

_Sibbie shook her head. "Well that's a pity, because you are going to be sitting here with us until you _want _to sit here with us."_

"_Why don't you just refuse?" Severus asked the boy._

_Regulus glared at him for a few seconds, then said, "A Black never goes down on his honor."_

_o0o_

"_We'll wear you down, Regulus, you know that right?"_

"_No way in hell you will."_

"_But what happens if we do? What then?"_

_Regulus laughed bitterly. 'That'll be the day I die. That'll be the day my brother decides to dye his hair pink. That'll be the day Lupin gets a tattoo."_

"_Does the prospect of having friends really scare you that much?"_

"_I don't need friends, and I certainly don't need a friend like you. You're a mudblood and I am a pureblood. We are not of the same species, not even of the same class, we cannot be friends."_

"_Right. And I'm sure there's a very proper reason you know the taxonomical key."_

_Regulus stared at her for a few seconds, stunned, then said, "Of course there is."_

_Sibbie laughed. "I prefer the term muggle-born," she said as she walked away._

**A/n: Sibbie's flashback will be continued next chapter, just to let you all know I didn't just stop there. Drop in and say Happy Birthday. And read The Nightwatch. And End Vitalism: Hug a Shoe.**


	9. Chapter 9

**The Worst Mistake**

Ch.9

After endless attempts at wearing Regulus down, Sibbie finally succeeded-only she didn't know how. About five weeks after she had made him start sitting with her, a change occurred in Regulus. It was just a little change, but it got bigger and bigger until he got from haughty coldness towards Sibbie to begging her not to leave him. But _why_?

Regulus could give a better explanation. He didn't know _why_, but he knew what. It was Sirius that had caused him to change, but he didn't know why Sirius' actions had affected him so much…

_Regulus was walking down the third floor hall when he heard his brother's voice. Having the Filthy Habit of eavesdropping and recognizing who he was speaking to, Regulus stopped to listen._

"_Sibbie? That's an interesting name. You seem like an interesting girl."_

_Sibbie blushed and giggled. She would've fallen in love with him right then and there if she didn't have eyes for someone else at the moment. "You seem interesting too," she said._

"_Well, maybe I'd like to get to know you better," Sirius said smiling charmingly._

"_That'd be nice," Sibbie said. "But right now I have to get to Potions."_

"_Right," Sirius said. "See you."_

"_See you," Sibbie said, walking towards the dungeons._

_Regulus, standing there watching them flirt felt...jealous? No. Why would he be jealous? His blood traitor brother could flirt with whoever he wanted, why should he care? But the fact was he _did _care. He had formulated an excuse of sorts by the time he asked Sibbie to help with Charms and slowly, bit by bit, became inseparable from Sibbie: he had an absurd need to keep everyone in the world from his brother. He ignored the fact that he was jealous of his brother's freedom to flirt with whoever he wanted, mudblood or not._

_o0o_

_It was the last day of her third year, and Sibbie was getting ready to go home. It had been a good year, she reflected. She had made two real friends, not just random people who tolerated her and that made her feel special. She was going to miss those two boys over the summer, and she knew they'd miss her too. Severus, of course, would never admit he would miss her, but Regulus made his feelings very well-advertised._

"_Don't leave me Sibbie!" he pleaded, putting his puppy dog eyes to work. "I don't wanna go back to my so-called family!"_

_Sibbie laughed. "So tell me Reg," she said. "How did you get from hating me from the deepest recesses of your heart to pleading me not to leave you?"_

_Regulus shrugged and looked uncomfortable. "I dunno…"_

"_Just my amazing charm, hmm?"_

_Regulus smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess so. Have a nice summer, Sibbie."_

"_You too, Reg, Sev."_

"_Unlikely," Severus said._

_Sibbie sighed. "Well, try to get by," she said._

"_I'll do my best," Severus said solemnly._

"_Me too," Regulus said, watching his mother berate his older brother for once again being in the company of mudbloods and blood traitors. "But I'm not guaranteeing anything."_

"_Just make sure you both make it back in one piece, 'kay?"_

"_Yeah…" Regulus said. "You'll have to talk to my brother about that."_

"_And my father," Severus added._

Sibbie sighed. She was glad she was friends with those two boys, but a lot of the time she felt bad for complaining about her family life when they both had it so bad. One night she had dragged a story out of Sev about the time he wet his bed when he was four and his father had sat him on the radiator. Sibbie had nearly thrown up when she heard that. And Regulus. He had a story about the time he and his brother had tried to learn to swim-which for some odd reason was forbidden. He had showed her his scars too. And of course, she had just witnessed the brotherly affection Sirius showed him.

After being lost in her thoughts, the train stopped at King's Cross, and she got off. She noticed that all the Marauders were going home for the holidays too. Sirius usually stayed at Hogwarts, but since he ran away, he probably wanted to go with his friends.

Once in the muggle world, Sibbie spotted her sister, slouching moodily, waiting to pick her up. Getting into the car, Sibbie didn't say one word to her sister, Melody. They talked usually, but on car rides, especially when Melody didn't want to be there, conversation was awkward, so the two girls rode in silence.

When she got home she took in her trunk and walked through the door saying, "I'm home!"

Her mother was in the kitchen, which was the first room you walked into besides the laundry room. "Sibbie! Could you help me with dinner, please?"

Sibbie sighed, dropping her trunk. "I'm home for all of two seconds and you already have me doing chores?"

"It's nearly Christmas, Sibbie, I need your help."

Sibbie sighed again. She knew very well that her mother needed a lot of help during Christmas-time; part of their family tradition was to spend almost all of Christmas Eve scrubbing the house to prepare for the "official" tradition of everyone on her mother's side of the family coming to the Franks' house for dinner and desert. But it all paid off on Christmas Eve-the warm, Christmas-y feeling, the cookies for desert, her cousins coming and playing, exchanging gifts with the people who wouldn't be at her grandmother's for Christmas. "Here to serve, mum," she said.

"Cut the carrots and get rid of your attitude," her mother responded.

**A/n: First day of school, so that means more updates. Yay for that!**


	10. Chapter 10

**The Worst Mistake**

Ch. 10

All Christmas Eve Sibbie, Melody and their mother spent cleaning up the house because everyone on their mother's side had made it a tradition to come to her house every year and have a traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinner then to their grandmother's on Christmas day. It was the kind of cleaning that Sibbie liked: scrubbing. Not straightening up, which she detested, but scrubbing- walls, floors, anything.

Her mother and Melody however did not share her appreciation of the art of scrubbing. Every year around Christmas, her mother turned into an absolute monster from the present buying and the cleaning and the stress and tended to order people about and get in fights with available family members. Melody was just her normal mopey self.

"Why do we have to do all this anyway?" Melody grumbled. "It's not like they don't _know_ that our house is normally a mess."

Her mother turned to face her, closed her eyes, and sighed. Finally she said, "Just do it for me. Without complaining please."

"What if I don't wanna do it for you?" Melody said under her breath. Sibbie sighed; she hated this.

o0o

All Christmas Eve Severus and Regulus spent in the library. Regulus was reading the history of King Tali of the ancient settlement Salend and Severus was smoothing out the kinks of his latest homemade spell. It wasn't as if they had anything else to do with their pathetic lives. Regulus sighed and put down The King's Lot; he picked up a piece of parchment and a quill and five minutes later he had an attempt at poetry:

_The time has come and sleep we must,_

_Coal and train and blood and rust._

_Feel the kingdom move for you,_

_Feel the things you know are true._

_On your good rest I must depend,_

_Without your word my world would end._

_Love and hope and faith and trust,_

_The time has come and sleep you must._

Regulus blinked in shock. He wasn't a poet. That didn't even make sense! Severus glanced over. "It's about death," he commented. "Probably not a good omen."

Regulus stared at him open-mouthed then crumpled up the parchment and collapsed onto the table, his head in his arms.

o0o

All Christmas Eve Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter had gallons of fun. They started the day with a traditional snowball fight- Sirius and Remus against James and Peter- until they collapsed on the round, worn out. Sirius turned his head to look at Remus, who was lying next to him. "We should attack them now," he said, though he made no move to do so.

Remus however threw a snowball half-heartedly at James. James groaned. "We forfeit Moony."

"Us too," Sirius agreed. Then the four boys went to the kitchens to drink hot chocolate until James went off to try to seduce Lily in the holiday spirit, Sirius left to find his mistletoe miracle, Remus went back to the dorm to read, and Peter was left to wander.

o0o

After breaking the oplotek and wishing everyone health, wealth, happiness, and after death a crown in heaven, Sibbie and her family sat down to their traditional meal, none f it appealing except the peirogis. The rice would be nice without the apples, the bread good without the raisons, and the flounder sufferable without the lemons; as it was however, Sibbie, Melody, and their step-cousins Con and Lil ate very little e of the meal.

But everyone ate a lot of dessert- about a million different types of cookies. Everyone who baked in the family made at least one type of cookie, which was everyone's favorite part of Christmas Eve. After that they exchanged gifts with the people who would not be at Sibbie's grandmothers the next day, then slowly everyone filed and Sibbie and Melody got ready for bed.

Another Christmas Eve tradition was that Sibbie slept in Melody's room- she had a spare bed- that night. "Good night," Sibbie said when they had settled in.

"Shut up and go to sleep," Melody replied.

o0o

Regulus and Severus were sitting in the Slytherin Common Room until midnight. Severus was lying on the couch reading a textbook, of all things and Regulus was staring absently into the fire. When the clock in the corner of the room struck twelve, Regulus tilted his head back so that Sverus was in his line of view and said. "Merry Christmas."

Severus looked up from his book and shrugged. "Christmas."

Rgeulus sighed. "You're depressing," he said and got up. "I'm going to bed."

"Night," Severus said as Regulus walked up the stairs to the Boys' Dormitory.

Regulus rolled his eyes and said, "_Good _night, Sev."

o0o

Remus and Peter were sleeping by the time Sirius got back to the dorm and James was nowhere to be found. As he was about to climb into bed, however, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, expecting to se one of his friends, but all he saw was Remus sleeping in the be next to him. "James?" he asked uncertainly, then found himself being pushed onto his bed as James' laughter filled the room. "What're you doing Prongs?"

James pulled the Invisibility Cloak off to expose his grinnig face. "Waiting for Christmas."

"Now Prongs, you know Santa doesn't come until you fall asleep."

James jumped on to the bed to the other side of Sirius' and said, "But I'm not tired, mommy!"

Sirius laughed. "Go to sleep you nerd!"

"Hmmph! I am not a nerd!"

"Your hair, your glasses, your participation in class- you and Moony are our resident nerds."

"Well if that's the way you feel, goodnight!"

"'Night Prongs."

**A/n: Was this chapter too short? It was shorter than the last one...**


	11. Chapter 11

**The Worst Mistake**

**  
**Ch. 11

  
Christmas. The most wonderful time of the year, yes? Sirius was insanely obsessed with the holiday, waking the whole of Black Manor up at four o'clock in the morning, which was part of the reason Regulus didn't think so much of it. The other might be…he was a little apathetic.

This lovely holiday season he had received a set of muggle books from the Sibbie, a book on astronomy and one on a advanced potion's theory Regulus was having trouble with from Severus, and a letter from his parents stating that they were thoroughly disappointed in him for staying at Hogwarts once again but were pleased to see he was keeping up a steady stream of O's. Regulus was pleased himself, considering how much he was struggling in Potions.

He tried though, and that was the difference. Everyone thought he was an intellectual and oh-so-brilliant, but all he did was try. He was of the opinion that anyone could do it if they tried. He sighed and put down the letter and shook the envelope, letting the money fall out onto his hand. "How very thoughtful of them," he muttered.

"What's thoughtful of who?" said the boy in the next bed sleepily.

"Whom," Regulus corrected automatically. "My parents. They think of the gifts and they're always in the holiday spirit, you know?"

Miles Saundry smiled and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Just like you, eh?"

"I suppose," Regulus said.

Miles nodded and then dragged something out of the nightmare under his bed and tossed it to Regulus. "Sorry I forgot to wrap it," he said.

Regulus laughed; Miles was the most disorganized person he knew and that was saying a lot, considering he _did_ know his brother. But Miles tried and although he appreciated the gifts from his friends, he was thoroughly glad it wasn't another book. Miles was one of the few people who didn't think of Regulus as resident genius-even the Sibbie regarded him with awe, probably because she didn't try considering she was the world's greatest procrastinator. "Thanks," he said, smiling at the only dorm mate he liked. He and Miles weren't friends exactly, but they were both small and had to fend off Jenson and his henchmen, James Bonzi and Charlie Lobo, who shared the dorm with them.

"You like it?" Miles asked, staring dreamily at his slightly more impressive pile of gifts.

"Yeah," Regulus replied truthfully. Regulus, being a chocolate and coffee addict, though he tried not to overdo it as he was scary on caffeine, was quite pleased with a box of Honeydukes dark chocolate.

"Great, 'cuz you know I never know what to get you. Oh, forget what I said about thoughtful gifts, Reg, this is awesome!" he said, opening Regulus' gift, a broom cleaning gift. Miles was the Keeper for the Slytherin team, but Regulus wasn't much of a sports person himself. "Merry Christmas, Reg."

"Here's to hoping," Regulus replied.

o0o

Regulus was lucky to have at least one person in his dorm room who didn't hate his guts; all Severus had was Bertram Aubrey, world's most in love with himself jerk next to Potter and Black, his henchmen, Tiberius McLaggen and Domacles Belby, and the empty bed of Maxel Green. Maxel Green had disappeared without a trace a year ago and many Hogwarts students were of the opinion that Severus had something to do with it, but all he had done was hex him the day before Christmas Break. Then Maxel had gone of to Spain and never returned (A/n: Roll of thunder, anyone?). Regulus thought that Maxel had been bitten by a werewolf and went of to join there clan but he never explained why he thought that.

Severus had gotten the usual muggle books from The Sibbie, a book on the Dark Arts, leather boots, and an umbrella from Regulus. He had been a little curious about the umbrella until he read the note on it: DON'T TOUCH IT! Severus grinned; he'd let Aubrey or Black figure out what it did. The only other thing he received was a letter from his mother, who was hiding from her husband in Spain wishing him a Happy Christmas like her own and a black eye from Aubrey.

The letter he promptly shredded muttering something along the lines of "Glad _you're _happy, and he got his own back with Aubrey when e got curious about Reg's gift and his filthy hands went to it before his eyes read the note. With a distinct quacking noise, there was a large yellow duck in the place of Aubrey, to the distress of his friends and the delight of Severus.

o0o

Sibbie woke up early on Christmas morning, of course. She knew better than to try to wake up Melody or her parents, so she sat in bed and entertained herself until 8:00 when she was allowed to wake her family up. Luckily she had something to detain her boredom; "Santa" always left her stocking and a cookie by her bed to ensure she didn't wake "him" up too early and around 7:30 two owls came to her window carrying packages. One was a school owl carrying the usual distinctly magical books from Severus and Regulus' owl, Peppers.

After she had let the school owl go, she turned to Peppers and untied the package, looking around for something to feed the owl. Peppers hooted happily and pecked Sibbie gently. "Shh," Sibbie said. "You'll wake Melody." Since she wasn't allowed to go downstairs where the presents were and she couldn't use magic outside of Hogwarts, all she had to offer Peppers was Melody's cookie. "Santa forgot her this year," she said handing it to the owl. Peppers hooted appreciatively and ate it before flying off.

Sibbie opened Regulus' present when he had left; inside was a small black box and a book. Sibbie smiled when she say the title of the book- My Brother, My Enemy. Christmas presents were usually used to make a point between the three friends- Sibbie always gave the boys muggle books and Severus always returned that with magical books.

When Sibbie opened the black box, she gasped in surprise and a bit of fear. _"What does he mean by _this_?"_ she thought.

o0o

Sirius got up at 4:45 Christmas and eagerly jumped out of bed. "James, James!" he said, shaking his best friend awake.

"What is it? Where's the fire?" James asked groggily.

"Merry Christmas!"

James blinked and glanced at the clock. "Sirius, it is 4:45."

"Yep!"

"You got to bed at 1:45."

"If you say so!"

"So you've slept for three hours?"

"I guess."

"Then how are you so- _perky_?"

"It's _Christmas_, James! What happened to 'I'm not tired, mommy'!"

"I _am _tired now. Go to sleep."

"I can't!" Sirius whined in a voice that still managed to be full of perk. And he didn't; he sat around bored for fifteen minutes then took a shower until six. After that he woke up James again, who stayed awake and helped Sirius wake the others. At six forty Remus had forgiven them for waking him up "at six o'clock in the gosh darn _morning_!" in the Christmas sprit.

"Merry Christmas," he said.

"Merry Christmas, Moony," the other three boys chorused.

**A/n: This chapter was a lot longer than I expected…but I like it!**


	12. Chapter 12

**The Worst Mistake**

**Disclaimer: I stole the "olly" thing from The Hogfather. And pretty much everything else from Rowling…**

Ch. 12

Sibbie was back to chronic thumb sucking again, which was not a good sign. It used to be that she only sucked her thumb when she was really upset, but over the years it had evolved into a default state of being. And she had been so sure that she had gotten rid of the habit last year. She sighed as she walked downstairs. _"As if I don't have enough to worry about," _she thought. "Where'd you get that?" Melody asked, pointing to Sibbie's right hand when she entered the kitchen.

"My friend."

"Look's real," her mother commented.

"It is," Sibbie replied.

Melody and Mrs. Frank stared. "You're kidding right?"

"No. Look I have an authenticity upstairs…"

"And your friend gave that to you?" her mother asked.

"Well he's really rich…"

"He?" her mother demanded.

Sibbie mentally swore as she realized what she had said. "Look, he's just a friend with a lot of money to spend," she said. "I'm going to take a shower."

As she walked back up the stairs, she examined the diamond ring on her finger. _"Gods be praised I didn't wear this on m left hand,"_ she thought, retreating to her comfort zone: the shower.

o0o

Back at Hogwarts, Regulus retreated to his own comfort zone: the library. He was lonely and tired and his head hurt and his brother had been making fun of him again and he needed comfort. In fact, he found himself wishing he was back at home, only because his home library was his comfort zone within his comfort zone.

Ever since he was little, even before he knew how to read, Regulus had retreated to the library when things got bad, which was pretty much a constant state at the lovely House of Black. Besides, there was never anyone in _his _library giving him funny looks and murmuring about the horrible gash on his forehead-that had been Jensen-or, more noticeably, his pink hair-that had been Sirius.

But the facts were standing firm against him: he _wasn't_ at home, people _were _giving him funny looks, and his head was absolutely throbbing; his emotions were not doing so well either. Regulus sighed mournfully; he wanted to cry, but that would only induce more funny looks. The most wonderful time of the year…yeah.

o0o

"Don't be so cynical." Even as Regulus said the words, he knew he was being hypocritical, but he couldn't help it. "It's Christmas. This should not be a sad time. This is supposed to be the season to be jolly. And other things ending in olly."

"Yes but little match girls still die in the cold."

"And then they go to heaven and are happy. That's part of the story Sev. They meet their mother and such."

Severus snorted. "And you know this because…"

Regulus shrugged. "I like to read…"

"Well who says there is a heaven? I don't think there is."

"That's because you don't believe in anything good, Sev."

"That's because I haven't met any good, Reg."

o0o

Sibbie sat on her bed sucking her thumb, tears running down her cheek, her mother's words echoing through her head. "You have no discernable values!"

"_I'm all faults,"_ she thought sadly. _"And if my own mother can't find any values, who the hell will?"_

_Let the tears fall. Just let the tears fall. Don't bother about the pain, just let the tears fall…Move along._

o0o

The Sibbie was wet and tired and miserable and sick to her stomach. And in the Boys' Dormitory. The _Slytherin_ Boys' Dormitory. Regulus looked up when the door slammed open and encountered a dripping and miserable The Sibbie. "What're you doing here?" he asked urgently. "Where'd you get the password? You're lucky no one else is here…"

The Sibbie opened her mouth to speak but it only came out as a sob. "Library," Regulus said getting up. "Sev's in the library."

"Why'd you leave?" Regulus asked after The Sibbie cried herself out in the library. "You didn't leave for good did you?"

"No. But she said she'd kill herself if she were me…" The Sibbie said, staring into space. She couldn't think straight and it was getting difficult tot think sideways too.

"Who?"

"Melody..."

"Well that's bloody stupid of her," Regulus muttered.

"I was only kidding. And she chewed me out. Kill-"

_Let the tears fall._

"What were you kidding about?" Severus asked.

"I said she was jealous…"

_Just let the tears fall._

"I'd kill _her_," Regulus growled.

"No…"

_Just sit here. And let the tears fall._

**A/n: If this is horrible and short and has a lot of mistakes, I have an excuse for once. My mother's banning me from the computer for being a pyromaniac and I don't have time to check over stuff. On the plus side, my fingers no longer smell of burning flesh...**


	13. Chapter 13

**The Worst Mistake**

**A/n: Sorry this took forever to get out, but it's end of quarter and I have so many tests and projects and stuff and I'm practically failing math and Spanish and that makes me want to cry…it's horrible. So, fanfiction wasn't exactly top priority.**

Ch. 13

"Sirius that is offensive!"

"Offensive? Moony, where would you get the idea that I am offensive?" Sirius demanded. Remus rolled his eyes. "Oh, alright. Were my words to rough for your virgin ears?"

Remus shook his head and rolled his eyes at the same time. "You're hopeless Padfoot. A hopeless womanizing vulgar pervert."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "And you're probably gay."

Remus stopped and stared at him. Sirius shrugged. "Had to be said. C'mon, Moony."

"But you don't really think that do you?" Remus asked, continuing walking.

"No. But you _do _act awfully feminine sometimes. Womanizer is _definitely _not a manly word."

"Oh c'mon!" Remus said and then added, "People don't really think that do they?"

"Oh no. They know you're just Remus. But you need to get yourself a girl mate."

"Oh, I already-" Remus got out before stopping himself.

"You already _what _Remus?" Sirius asked grinning evilly.

Remus blushed. "Nothing."

"Already got a girl, eh?"

"No."

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Do!"

"_Don't_!"

"Now, Padfoot I can see, but really Moony, I thought you were more mature than that," James said coming down the Boys' Dormitory stairs.

"Prongs, Moony's got a girlfriend and he won't tell who!" Sirius declared.

"I do _not_," Remus protested.

James looked at him curiously. "No fair Moony," he said. "Spit."

Remus spat and marched out of the Common Room. "She makes him all immature. Or perhaps that's our influence finally rubbing off."

"Can't be," Sirius replied. "We've been working on him for years and never made the slightest difference. It must be _her_."

"We need to use my foolproof plan!" James said, clapping his hands.

"What's that?"

"Stalk Moony!"

o0o

Sibbie was sitting by the lake, kicking her feet in the freezing water Monday, January fifteenth. And crying. January fifteenth was not a day she liked to remember. When she heard footsteps she hastily wiped the tears from her face and plastered on a smile.

"Hey, The Sibbie," Regulus said, sitting down next to her. "Isn't the water cold?"

"Freezing."

Regulus stared into the lake while Sibbie watched her feet until Regulus said, "You alright?"

"Yeah…"

"I know you're never alright today."

"I feel a little pathetic, yeah."

Regulus looked at her curiously. "Pathetic?"

Sibbie nodded. "Yeah. Very. I mean I have a family who loves me and everything but you have a son of a bitch brother, literally and figuratively because your mother's a horror and your father never talks to you-"

"Thanks," Regulus said.

"And Sev's mum left him and his father hurts him and you both- well it's not like you ever tried to kill yourself."

"Believe me, not for lack of thinking about it. And it's not like you're pathetic, it's just that Sev and I are more-"

"Tough?"

"Heartless, I think. I mean you're more…delicate. You take offense more easily because you wouldn't think of offending anyone yourself. Sev and I were raised to be heartless."

"Don't say that."

"It's true. I don't know how to love. Not anymore."

Regulus sighed and stared at the water. He watched the ripples move calmly on the surface of the water, disturbing without being disturbing. Mistakes and deformity were a part of life…they were _normal. _"I'll teach you."

"What?" Regulus said, coming back to earth.

"I'll teach you to love," Sibbie said and leaned over to kiss Regulus, who sat shocked for a fraction of a second before kissing back.

**A/n: The End. Not really, but I felt like writing that. This was the short. In fact, it was the shortest chapter I've written but it seems longer because there's a lot of dialogue so I guess that's okay. Is that okay? Next chapter…I'll make sure it's the longer, 'kay?**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Worst Mistake**

Ch. 14

"Padfoot to Prongs! How's it going?" asked the face of Sirius in the mirror, invisible to the outer world because of the cloak that covered it.

"He's not doing anything," James complained. "Just sitting there…"

"But not, as he says, tutoring desperate students?"

"Nope. Definitely not."

Then he must be up to something. Moony only lies if there's a good reason. By the way, where exactly is 'there'?"

"On the steps outside," James responded. He was sitting some twenty feet away in the grass. He sighed. "I'll just sit here and wait shall I?"

"_You _suggested this."

James made a face. "I know, but-" He stopped talking when a girl walked out onto the steps. Careful not to make much noise, James crept forward to get a better look. The girl's hair was chocolate colored and in braids that fell to her elbows. As Remus stood up she kissed him on the cheek and Remus blushed. "Risqué," James muttered, snickering. Then he turned back to the mirror and whispered, "Padfoot, we have lift off."

o0o

"What's with the camera?"

"Oh, it's only to annoy you by displaying my obviously muggle heritage," Sibbie said, rolling her eyes. 'It's for this computer class I'm taking. I need pictures-"

"No," Severus said.

"But I didn't-"

"No I will not be in any of your pictures."

Sibbie sighed. "Spoil sport."

"Wouldn't the obviously not muggle clothing look odd anyway?" Regulus asked.

"Sure. And you'd fit right in. Now smile."

"What, me? No!"

Sibbie clicked the button. "Hey!" Regulus said, attempting to grab the camera away.

The Sibbie giggled and held the camera out of reach. "Try to get it, shortie!"

Regulus growled. "That's it, it's on."

"Sure, sure," The Sibbie said. "Just hold that smile…"

o0o

"Remus, who's that girl over there?"

Remus looked up at Peter and said, "I don't _really _know everyone in the school, Pete."

"I know," Peter said. "But do you know her?"

Remus turned to where he was pointing and James noticed his eyes widen. "Yes. Gyp. Gyp Holister."

"Gyp?" James asked. "Are Pete and I the only people with normal names in this school?"

"I think my names just fine," Remus replied. "And I believe Gyp is her nickname."

"You believe?" Sirius asked. "Don't you _know_?"

"Should I?"

"I should think so."

Remus sighed. "How'd you find out?"

"James spied on you," Sirius supplied instantly.

"Thanks Sirius," James said, rolling his eyes.

"_No_ problem at all, James."

"Is she nice?" Peter asked.

"Nice Peter?" Sirius asked. "Nice? Who cares if she's _nice_?

Remus glared at Sirius. "Yes Peter, she's very nice."

"And attractive."

"_Thank_ you Padfoot."

"_No_ problem at all, Moony. Does _she_ know you're Moony?"

Remus sighed wearily. This was going to be a long day. "No Padfoot…"

o0o

She had kissed. It wasn't just a been-your-friend-forever kind of kiss either and when she pulled away he wanted to cry. He thought-well it meant the world to _him,_ he thought it meant something to her. But she didn't say anything, she didn't even try to make an excuse. She just ignored it but Regulus couldn't.

o0o

She had kissed him. She had meant it. But she couldn't find anything to say and he didn't say anything either. She tried to ignore it. But she really couldn't.

**A/n: I'm sorry if this is awful and I know it's really short but I'm mainly just writing to get something posted. I know it's been a long time, but I have an excuse. I've been in a psych ward for attempted suicide. Right now I just want to cry…and if my mom finds out I've written this she'll kill me, ahaha.**


	15. Chapter 15

**The Worst Mistake**

**A/n: I know I said I was giving this up but I couldn't stay away for long. I might sporadically post and I might just not. I don't know how this is going to go, but here's the next chapter anyway.**

Ch. 15

"Gyp, these are my friends, James, Peter, and Sirius. Friends, this is Gyp."

"Hello friends of Remus," Gyp said. "My name is Maya Lee really, but everyone calls me Gyp."

"Why?" asked Sirius.

"They think I look like a gypsy and there's this book character who's nickname was Gyp and I act nothing like her."

"Well that makes perfect sense," said James.

"Of course it does!" Gyp said.

James smiled. "Well nice meeting you, Gyp," he said.

"And you, James," Gyp said cheerfully. "You four boys are something to brag about in parties."

When she left Sirius said, "Did you hear that Remus? You're something to brag about at parties!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Were we well behaved Mommy-I mean Moony?" James asked putting on an innocent face.

"I guess," Remus said reluctantly.

"Do you tell _her_ to behave?"

"No, I-"

And what do you do if she doesn't?" Sirius asked, smiling wickedly.

"Sirius, there is something seriously wrong with you. Get help."

"Thank you very much Moony, but I don't think I will."

"I mean it. You're something to complain about in a loud voice at the local bar."

Sirius laughed. "That Moony is one of the most memorable compliments you've paid me. Seconded of course by a 'hopeless womanizing vulgar pervert.'"

Remus sighed. "So who can give me directions to the local bar?"

o0o

"…in his living room and Mr. Lupin get rid of that gum this instant."

A cheerful boy, who was sitting with his feet on the desk, blew a bubble before spitting out his gum and saying, "Yes sir." Professor Lindung continued with his lecture while the boy went back to writing notes to the surrounding girls. He was quite the ladies' man, Romulus Esau Lupin.

Regulus glared at him for the interruption of his precious class time. Muggle Studies was one of few secrets in Regulus' life that he truly enjoyed; his mother would have a fit if she found out but it was entirely worth the risk. The only drawback was that he had the class with Rome Lupin. While Regulus always listened attentively because he was truly fascinated by muggles and too prideful to ask The Sibbie, _some_ people were just a walking-or sitting-distraction.

"And who can tell me what the batteries he was missing do?" Professor Lindung asked. Regulus was one of the few people who raised his hand. "Ah, Mr. Black."

"They're a mixture of chemicals that, when connected with wires, produce the effect of electricity to power muggle objects instead of the magic that powers wizard's objects," Regulus recited.

"_Very_ good, Mr. Black. As always, of course."

Rome rolled his eyes. "Teacher's pet," he muttered, causing the Gryffindor boys to snicker and the girls to giggle, even the Slytherin girls. Rome smirked appreciatively at Regulus and Regulus blushed, which of course only made it worse because Rome knew he'd gotten to him.

It was hard to believe that Rome was Remus' brother, they were polar opposites, even Sirius and Regulus shared more qualities than Rome and Remus did. All they shared was appearance-the freckled face that made Rome look so innocent and playful, disguising the fact that he was a bully. He was a lot like Sirius actually, using his popularity to torment the less socially adept. It wasn't like Regulus could help being smart, it came naturally to him. "Well I'm sorry I was blessed with more brains than you," Regulus shot back, not bothering to keep his voice down because he _was_ the teacher's pet. "Though most things are…"

Rome raised his eyebrows and gave him a look that clearly stated that this wasn't over.

After class he was on his way to get to the ever wonderful Potions class when he heard a familiar voice say, "Oy, Black!"

"What do you want Lupin?" he asked wearily. Rome glanced around to make sure nobody was looking, which worried Regulus. He was well aware of what people who corner someone and check for witnesses in an abandoned corridor wanted. It didn't really seem like Rome's style, but who knew Rome anyway? Regulus sighed. 'It's not like I don't have experience with this…'

"Just this," Rome replied, leaning forward hesitantly and kissing Regulus. After that he stood for a second and then turned and hurried away. Regulus stood there in complete shock and the first thought that came to his head was, 'This is ridiculous, why is everyone kissing me?' But then the shock wore off and realization sunk in. Rome had just kissed him, Rome Lupin was gay? Or bi, but what did it matter? What would the rest of the school care? He could do so much with that information.

The only question was would he?

**A/n: This is kind of short, but it's setting up for, in my opinion, the most interesting and amusing sub-plot of this story. As always, I'd love constructive criticism, I don't take it personally just tell me what you think.**


	16. Chapter 16

**The Worst Mistake**

Ch. 16

"I need a girlfriend," The Sibbie declared.

Regulus was so preoccupied with Rome that it took him a while to realize that girls referred to their friends of the feminine persuasion as girlfriends. "Why, aren't we good enough for you?" he asked distractedly.

"Well…no. No you're not. I need a girl to talk to. You know, about girly things. And anyway there's this nice girl, ands I think she could be my friend you know?"

"You spend six years not knowing the girl and all of a sudden she could be your best friend?"

"Well, yeah. Why not?"

"That's just kind of…odd."

"Hey all I knew about _you_ when we became friends was that you were a stuck-up, prideful little boy. I didn't like _know_ you."

"I'm not little!" Regulus protested.

"Right, and your not a klutz either."

"Well I'm not," he said, smacking the table for emphasis and causing his goblet to tip over. "Oops."

"I knew you were a klutz the day I met you. And little too. And prideful…"

"Prideful yes. Little maybe. Klutz-no!"

"Keep on thinking that Reg, but watch where you're going."

Regulus rolled his eyes. "Yes ma'am."

o0o

Rome, what to do about Rome? He could give every thing that lived and breathed this information concerning the popular boy, but that was immature and not really Regulus' style. And it irked him that Rome trusted him to keep his mouth shut, that Rome _knew _he would be mature about it. The part of him that was mentally three and angry wanted to spite him, but the resigned world-weary part of him that had taken over since he was very small knew that was silly.

That didn't stop him from being bothered by the Rome, who say him for forty-five minutes four times a week had read him so well. _Everyone _knew that Regulus was the teacher's pet, mature, reliable, and above all safe. Reg didn't want to be like that, he wanted to have the immaturity of teenage boys and take a few risks. Sometimes he felt it would be a good thing to be stupid and popular, to be like…his brother.

Because Sirius was perfect wasn't he? Perfect friends, perfect girls, perfect looks, perfect hair. And of course he was a Gryffindor and everyone knows that Gryffindor are the good guys, right? And the Slytherins were the scum of the Earth that ought to be eliminated, that was glaringly obvious. Sirius was a Chaser on the Gryffindor team, funny, clever, good at subjects, good at making bullying seem like playful playground behavior, good at pretty much everything.

So that meant that the only flaw in the Perfection of Sirius Black was that he was, in fact, Sirius Black. That he had a family, and not just any family, but a _bad _family. A _Slytherin _family. But he got away with it because he verbally abused every last member of his family unless they had proven themselves "worthy' and he bullied Regulus on a semi-regular basis. Besides, he was a runaway.

A runaway. Don't worry folks, he got out in time! They didn't corrupt our hero, Sirius. And then everyone thought, "Oh, the poor child, raised in such an unhappy home. But at least he got out. Such a brave boy." And then he was a hero, and no one cared about the unhappy home he had left behind. They were a minor detail, the nasty part of the fairytale that everyone ignored. Besides, they were bad people and they were getting their just desserts, right?

Yeah right, Regulus thought.

**A/n: I'll be the very first to admit, this isn't the best display of writing, but I'm trying, I really am! I hope you like it better than I do.**


End file.
